The Hydro-Alchemist
by cansomeonethiswierdreallyexist
Summary: There's a new Alchemist in town, and she rivals Edward in power. Read to see their awesome adventures together. OCXEdward, eventually. rated T for swearing and stuff.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Why? Because Why Not!

"Honey, look out the window!" Mom said, gesturing out of the train's open window. The view was spectacular- we were on a high bridge, crossing one of the canals in Amestris. The water was such a beautiful blue; it rivaled that of the sky.

Of course, that wasn't saying much. A thunderstorm was rolling in, quickly turning the pristine blue of the canal to a menacing gray.

"The view its nice mom... but, personally, I prefer food, a good book, or sleep. You are disrupting my sleep." I griped.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Fine, sleep. But if you snore, I will record it." The response made me scowl. I closed my eyes and drifted off to dreamland.

Before I knew it, I was falling. We were over a canal again, but something happened to the track- we were derailed and hurling toward our death in my favorite possible place, the water.

How utterly ironic.

The train hit the water.

It floated, but only for about a second. Water was making its way into the car. I looked around frantically. What I saw was horrifying.

My mom had been hit in the head by -of all things - my suitcase. It was filled with only my bare necessities. And by necessities, I mean "almost nothing but giant alchemy books." Desperately, I opened the window. Water was filling the place up fast- I probably would never make it, especially since only half of the window would open. We were under water. Everything was happening so fast, I couldn't think clearly.

Giving my mom a sad, desperate look, I took a breath and swam out.

I gasped for air. Panting, I looked around, searching for any survivors. There were none. As I didn't know what to do, I cried. I'm ashamed of it, but I sobbed like a baby. I even had to slap myself, which knocked me back to my senses.

The sun was peaking over the horizon. Apparently, I found later, the train crashed at five forty two am. The sun rose at 6 am. I knew, deep inside, that they were all dead. But I couldn't accept it.

_The train is heavy, right? So it wouldn't have gone too far, and the canals are only 10 or so feet deep. I should go check._ Before I could slap some sense into myself again, I dove back down.

Bodies floated in the car. Mom was one of them. With an inward sob, I kicked the window open, and dragged the corpse out.

The rest was a blur. On the banks of the river, I found myself moving in a mechanical way. I grabbed a stick and drew a circle. A transmutation circle, unlike any I have drawn before, appeared. I can't remember it, I just remember putting my mom in the middle and activating it. My body was acting on complete autopilot. Soon, I was in front of a gate. I looked around. I was in a white room with just the gate. At that point, I kinda figured that I was screwed. Little shadowy hands from hell drew me inside and projected horrible images into my brain. I felt a pain in my legs and arms, but thought nothing of it.

My body crackling with power, I blacked out.

I woke up in a hospital. The horrible stench of disinfectant burned my nostrils.

"Ah, you're awake, Miss..." A doctor came in, his voice trailing off. I realized he was waiting to say my name.

"Sabrina Elise Anderson. Just call me Sea - everyone does. Those who don't, well, I'd show you, but I can't exactly feel my hands right now."

"Alright, Miss Sabrina." This doctor was not going to make things easy. "I am Doctor Roberts. Would you mind telling me what happened? All we know is you were in a train accident and are the sole survivor. A State Alchemist blocked the canal to look for your limbs in the off chance we could reattach them, but we didn't find anything. Mind telling me why?"

Something told me that I shouldn't tell the doctor.

"I don't know. I just remember feeling a sharp pain in all of my appendages and that's it. I can't recall exactly... wait... did you say I was the sole survivor?" This was getting fun for me. I am not a good liar, but I am a fairly decent actor. I was feigning ignorance and was milking this for all it was worth. Being dragged through that gate cleared my mind because it somehow made me realize that mom is gone and nothing will change that. I was still sad of course, but I did have some clarity.

"My mom is dead? No, please, no. I don't have anyone left!" That was true. My father served in the Ishbalan war, and was killed in the riots. I broke down sobbing, acting hysterical. I tried to cover my face in my hands, but I couldn't move my arms. They weren't there... Neither were my legs. "What happened to me? My arms and legs! What do I have left? I lost my books, my only family, and my limbs. What's next? My ability to do alchemy? Oh, wait, no arms. Fabulous."

The doctor looked like he had eaten something very sour. "You're an Alchemist?" he yelped. He promptly ran out the room.

"Wow. That's a new record," I mused. "Only two minutes to scare someone off by mentioning alchemy," I chuckled to myself. The door opened, and I put back on my blank expression of sorrow and horror.

The doctor came in with a kid and a military officer trailing behind. The kid wasn't actually a kid. He looked about as old as I was which is to say fourteen or thirteen. I would be turning fourteen in two months.

"Why did you drag me from the library again, Hawkeye? What's so important that can't wait until I come out in a couple days? Al and I really need to- oh." He just realized I was there. "Hey, you're that kid I dragged from the river banks."

Turning to the doctor he said "Can I talk to her?" He was implying that he wanted to talk without adult supervision, but the doctor must have been very dense, so he just smiled and nodded. "Alone please?" The doctor, who was afraid of this puny kid for some unknown reason, rushed out followed by the blond female officer, Hawkeye.

The boy had gold hair that was tied back in a braid, much longer than my chin length brown hair. His eyes were a startling gold. He sighed, hunching his body to make it look even smaller.

"Alright, girl. What in the seven hells did you do?"

"So blunt, aren't we. If you must know I was just in a train derailing."

"I mean what happened to your arms and legs, smartass."

"Oh, those? I didn't realize they were missing." I said sarcastically. The boy was seething with frustration.

"Edward?" A surprisingly calm voice came from outside the door. "Please refrain from killing her or I will shoot your arm off. The other one."

"Yes ma'am." Edward glared at the door. "Damn that woman. I swear, she knows all." He turned to look at me. "Seriously, what happened? I found the remains of a transmutation circle that no one should even know how to draw where I found your body. "

"Here's what happened, if you insist. I got myself out. Got a breath, and then got my mom, who was dead by then. I dragged her ashore and my body moved of its own accord. I drew that transmutation circle, activated it and saw a gate. I was pulled into the gate and saw - well, I don't really know what. I felt pain in my legs and arms and passed out. The end."

Edward had gotten very pale. "No. Your story is that a sharp bit of railing cut your limbs off. End of story. What you did..." His right arm twitched. "Is a human transmutation. You committed taboo. " His voice was very shaky.

We were immersed in silence for a bit.

"Can you help me?" I blurted. "Do you know where I can get some automail? I'm not going to be doing anything for who knows how long. And I can't stand not being able to do anything."

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."He huffed.

"I'm not kidding. Take me to a good automail mechanic. You should know a good one, as your arm is automail." Don't ask me how I knew that. I just guessed, using the simple power of deduction. I do so love detective novels.

"How did you? Never mind, I really don't need to know. Besides" he scoffed. "I am pretty well known."

"Then, Edwardito, can you at least tell me where I can get some automail? Maybe if I ask the your escort- Hawkeye, was it? - to help-"

"No!" Edward sighed. "I'm not going to win this argument, am I?" I had to smirk at that.

"Fine," he said in a very dejected tone.

"Please, curb your enthusiasm." The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.

"But if you call me Edwardito one more time, I will gladly show you the gates of hell myself," he said, cringing at my new name for him. I spotted a silver chain peeking from his pocket. _This is going to be fun._ "Hey, maybe when I get my automail, I can become a State Alchemist."

Edward stumbled. "Why?"He yelped.

"Why? Because why not? I've got nothing to loose."

That all was over a year ago. Today is my fifteenth birthday, and so much has changed. I got my automail. I also made history. I became the first female State Alchemist in the history of Amestris. I was no longer innocent little Sea. I am now the Hydro-Alchemist.

Also, I have a new victim to annoy the hell out of: the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. On long train rides, Al, Ed and I play cards, with Al and me ganging up on the cheating shrimp.

We don't have much in common, but that's fine by me. Almost everything about us is different, from our hair, to our height, to our view on the world (the pessimistic pipsqueak needs to lighten up).

I would never have expected to even meet the oh so famous Fullmetal Alchemist, but (un?)fortunately for me, things never go like I expect.

Author's notes: I hope you guys like it, I've never done a Fullmetal Alchemist fanfiction before. And this is all done on my phone. Point out any mistakes please. The original one that I posted a couple days ago was written on my phone, but I got my laptop back and changed bits of it. Constructive criticism is encouraged. I will try to update once a week, but I'm not keeping a schedule.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Also: if anyone has an idea of what reference the title is of, then you will be mentioned. If you need help, here is some more of the quote: "Science isn't about why, it's about why not!"

If you can complete the quote, you get mentioned too. Good luck my fellow geeks, nerds and readers.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: My Wonderful Ex  


**Disclaimer: I'm just a poor girl that doesn't own anything from FMA or any references I just so happen to make. I do, however, own Sea and ANY OTHER OC'S THAT APPEAR. End. Of. Story.**

"Hey Ed?" I mumbled nervously.

"Whatever it is- hell no." Edward said, not even caring to glance up from his book.

"Brother…" Al warned.

"What. Now. Person?" he testily said, burning a hole through my head with his glare.

"I was just wondering, would you mind it if we took a stop at my hometown…" My voice trailed off to nothing.

Edward was seething. "What was that?" was his sickly sweet reply.

"I said, would you mind it if we took a stop at my hometown… Don't kill me!" I squeaked.

"And why would we do that?"

"Because…" I faltered. "You guys love me and I just want to say goodbye to some… people." I had to choose that word carefully, wanting to put off the teasing and mockery for another time.

Ed smirked, obviously realizing what I was hinting at. "Why? Wanna see your boyfriend?"

"Yes actually, Edwardito." Ed scowled at his much hated nickname. I had to trademark it because Colonel Mustang kept using it. "I want to say goodbye to him and besides, it's almost his 16th birthday."

"Sure thing! We know what it's like, not being able to say goodbye. How far away is it? We can go after we deliver the report back to the colonel. Won't we, brother?" Al - the sweet thing - said, daring his brother to say otherwise.

"Don't worry. It's only a couple stations past East City. It's called Hargeon."

Ed's response? Mumbling some incoherent rant containing the words:"Stupid" "why me" "traitor" "shoot me now" and "I'm gonna kill her". After a few minutes of that, he threw his arms up in a dejected tone, which was way over dramatic, and sighed "fine"

"So, Sea. Tell us more about your... boyfriend" Ed said, after a while, nearly choking on the word.

"Well, his name is Dylan and he is almost 16 years old and blah blah blah…" I continued to rant, sounding like Hughes, the remainder of the train ride.

The train ride to Hargeon was a somber affair. Ed was asleep, Al was reading a mystery novel (contrary to popular belief, the Elric brothers did not just read alchemy books… or, at least Al didn't only read alchemy books.) and I was daydreaming. What should I say to Dylan? Should I kiss him, or should I just hug him? What to do, what to do. The options are endless.

Before I knew it, the shrill whistle of the train signaled our stop. I hopped out, quite giddily, I might add. Ed stumbled out the car with his usual scowl on his face.

I just so happened to look at myself. I looked like complete and utter crap. My waist length brown hair was disheveled and I was sure I still had food on my face. In my defense, _the_ train ride was freaking bumpy. My clothes were wrinkled, but that's not new. My green shirt was in disarray and my black pants just looked bad. My blue coat snapped in the wind. For the billionth time, I scowled at the damn thing. It was a 'Congratulations for finishing your automail rehab!' gift. It was a blue version of Ed's. When Hughes gave it to me, he forced me to put it on and stand next to the pessimistic pipsqueak. Not only did we wear matching coats, we wore matching scowls.

I shuddered at the thought as I quickly made myself a bit more presentable. Al seemed to pick up on my distress, so he said "Don't worry- you look fine." I had to smile my thanks for that. Edward simply huffed in a let's-get-this-over-with type tone.

I looked around. The quaint little town of Hargeon was surprisingly bustling. I peered into every shop from the open windows, with some of the store clerks, who were old friends of my father's, waving their hello in recognition.

Finally, I spotted him. Dylan was tall and sturdily built, with dark shaggy brown hair draped over his eyes. He was walking around with some girl. A friend of his? Maybe a new girlfriend. I was gone for over a year, after all. I hastily pointed to him. Ed understood.

"Hey, pretty boy, come here." Ed bellowed in Dylan's direction, causing the people in the area to stare. I face-palmed at my comrade's behavior. Finally, Ed gave up and stalked toward the brunette. They talked for a minute. At one point, Ed pointed to Al and I, which was our cue to smile and wave awkwardly. Then, they started to walk over.

"Hello everyone! My name is Dylan, and I will be your tour guide around the city. And this" Dylan said cheerfully, "is my girlfriend Maya." He pointed to the redhead next to him. She was really beautiful, slim with assets in just the right places, but something about her just screamed two things: vanity and whore.

"Hey, have I seen you before?" the redhead, Maya asked me. "You look familiar."

"No, but maybe you have heard of me. I'm the Hydro-Alchemist, and just call me anything, I really don't care." I replied, albeit nervously. Ed and Al shot me weird looks, but I shot them a look, and they seemed to understand.

"She looks kinda like your ex, right Dylan?"

"Yeah. Brown hair, blue eyes, somewhat overweight, dark skin. Looks like her, but I'm pretty sure she's dead, even though they never found the body." Dylan agreed. The nerve of him - he didn't even sound sad.

"Tell me more about your ex girlfriend. I'm always curious about people who look like me" He shot me a weird look, but I ignored it.

"Well" Maya began "She's-"

"Let me talk about her. You didn't even know her." Dylan interrupted. "She was... how would I put this? She was obsessive with books, most of which concerned that stupid hobby of hers. Archive? I don't recall what it was, but it was complicated and stuff."

"Alchemy" I offered absentmindedly.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it. Anyways, she was a nice person and all, but really. She got annoying after a while. And her mom, oh god, her mom called her this awful nickname. Sea." He paused a bit here. "'Because her eyes are blue just like the sea'. I mean, seriously. She was so conceited and didn't have the looks to back her up, unlike my baby here." He smiled at Maya. "The best thing about her was her mouse brown hair that was just like any other person's."

With each word said, I deflated more and more. But when he got to that part about mom, I lost it. I could feel my anger seeping out into a dark aura surrounding me (which the bastard was oblivious to). He was saying all this to my face (though, technically, he was walking in front of us, but still). I mean, I know I wanted to know what he thought of he, but did he have that little courtesy to say all of that to a stranger? They say the truth hurts, but that was just plain brutal.

"Dylan?" I asked, catching his attention. He turned around. I gathered all of my courage to do what I needed to do.

I slugged him in the face.

"What the hell was that for woman?" He shrieked, clutching his now shattered nose.

"Am I that easy to forget?" I asked Ed and Al, who were cringing at my brutality. I'm never quick to anger, let alone violence.

"Who the hell are you?" Dylan demanded.

"I am exactly who I said I am. I am the Hydro-Alchemist. You already know my name." I said, my voice deadly calm and dripping with venom.

Dylan blanched. "S-Sabrina!?" he sputtered, incredulously.

"Yeah. Three words. Up. Your. Ass. Goodbye, and I hope you would never expect to hear from me again." I paused, thinking. I got out my pocket knife. I slashed.

Dylan's eyes were wide as he watched the knife slice through it's target. My prized hair fluttered to the ground. It was now cut boyishly short. I stared in horror at what I had done. I had acted rashly and in spite. I didn't think things through, and that's why I am too cautious. I like to think out every possible detail.

I did what I had to do in the end. I ended things. But I'm ashamed of how I exited. I turned and fled, heading to the train station.

Thirty minutes later, Ed, Al, and I were back on a deserted train. There were only a couple people scattered through the car, but I did something I have never done in front of Ed and Al, now my only family and friends. I cried.

Through by blurred eyesight, I saw Ed and Al having a silent exchange. I think it went something like this:

Ed: Gah! What do we do!

Al: Comfort her! She needs a hug, at least.

Ed: Why don't you hug her instead?

Al: … You know why.

Ed: Sometimes, I really hate you.

Al: I can live with that.

After their mini argument, Ed took me into his arms, and held me while I cried. Sometime, I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

I stared at the sleeping, tear stained girl in my arms. How Al managed to make me do this, I will never know. I tried to get her out of my lap, but I didn't want to wake her, that and Al was looking at me, daring me to wake her up. In the end, I just stared out the window, deep in thought about the peculiar girl next to me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

"Wait up guys!" I panted, completely drained. Ed, Al and I were trekking through the desert. Our destination: Liore. I was lagging behind, but I kept falling in little sinkholes. Though, I shouldn't talk. Al had the same problem, except he kept getting completely buried.

"Gah!" I squeaked. One second, I was walking - well, more staggering- consumed with my thoughts, the next I was chest deep in sand. "What the-"

Ed couldn't hold it anymore. His soft chuckles grew until he was guffawing, clutching his stomach and rolling on the sand. "I understand why Al keeps falling in. But why you?" he asked, in a taunting manner.

"Try having four automail limbs instead of two, squash-for-brains."

Ed smirked, making me worried. "Also because you are a lot _fatter_ than yours truly."

I stiffened. That one phrase - which never bothered me until a few months ago- got to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ed cringe. Probably because of all the daggers Al was shooting at him.

"Look, Sabrina, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." Ed apologized guiltily.

"Just drop it." Ed gave a sigh of relief at that. "Now, help me out of this sink hole, _shrimp_." Within minutes, I was out of that hellhole, but it was all ruined by a coughing fit.

"Are you okay?" Al, ever the worrywart, asked me.

"Nah, I'm fine. Just some dust went down the wrong pipe." I said quickly, sneakily hiding the red speckled sleeve behind my back. Oh, well. Guess I'll just have to clean it later. I flashed a smile to show that I was ok. "Now come on. The town's just over there- I'll race ya!"

And off we went.

"This place is incredible!" I said in awe. That was true; the place was prosperous, booming and was overall beautiful. "This is nothing like how my father described. The way he described it, this place was a dry, arid, boring hell." My father, Lyon Anderson, was born in this town, but left several years before the Ishbalan Rebellion.

Suddenly, Ed started to sprint. "Water!" he cried gaily. He ran to a water fountain that was filled with something other than water.

"Ed," I called, sensing the elements in the air. Definitely _not_ water. "That's not wat-"

Ed all but jumped into the fountain. "-er. It's wine." I sighed.

That prompted Ed to glare at me. "Couldn't you have told me earlier?"

"You didn't let me finish." I pointed out.

"She has a point, big brother." Al said, face palming.

"Hey" a new voice called out. "Kids aren't allowed in the wine fountains!"

"I'm sorry for big brother's behavior. We're travelers, you see, and we didn't know that it was wine." Al said, not losing his head.

"Oh, travelers? Would you like to sit at my shop for a drink?" the salesclerk asked.

Ed, Al and I shared a look and came up with a unanimous decision. We were going to get food at that nice man's counter.

"Oh, so your dad lived here when he was a little boy?" The shop owner, whom I dubbed Mustache, asked.

"Yeah. His name was Lyon. Lyon Anderson. Why did 'ya know him?" I responded, albeit curiously.

"Knew him? My wife was his babysitter when he was a little kid." Mustache seemed lost in his memories. "Anyways, how is he? I haven't seen him since he left all those years ago."

"He ended up joining the military. He was a general during the Ishbalan War." A sudden tidal wave of sorrow came over me.

"Why do you say was?" Mustache asked, as if it dawned on him.

"Dad was killed during a war meeting in the height of the war. I will never forgive the bastard who did that. It only adds fuel to the fire whenever I hear that man's name. That traitor."

"Who was it?" Ed asked. His interest was piqued.

"Kimblee." I seethed. The dark aura I could feel myself emitting was so thick, you couldn't cut it with a machete.

Mustache looked just plain awkward and uncomfortable. "Oh, yeah!" he said, as if a thought had come to him. He flipped a switch and a man's voice came from the radio, spewing a lot of religious bull.

"Thanks, sir!" Al said cheerfully as he ushered Ed and I away from the counter. By then we realized that a large crowd had gathered around us.

I, feeling in an incredibly bad mood right then, glared at the onlookers and they parted so we had a clear path and stopped asking if we were street performers. Al, poor, clumsy Al, bumped his head on the shelf the radio was sitting on, causing the thing to fall and break.

"Don't worry, I can fix it." Al said helpfully. He drew a transmutation circle and activated the array. All the onlookers oohed and aahed.

"What did you say your name was, again?" Mustache asked.

"We're the Elric Brothers! Yeah, we are kinda famous." Ed said haughtily, though I think we all knew what is going to happen. It always happens when someone meets them for the first time- they mistake Al for the shrimp and that person is always like 'that shrimp?' I love watching it every time.

"Oh, I've heard of you!" A random onlooker exclaimed, and then whispered, "Who are they?"

A lady-who I swear, just appeared that second- said, "Why, Edward Elric is the Fullmetal Alchemist. The other is his little brother. I don't know who the other _boy_ is, though. Probably someone of no concern," the lady said.

I stared at her. "What did you just call me?" I said in a low voice, getting close to the woman.

She gave me a once-over then smirked. "A boy." The challenge in her words was audible.

Quick as a flash, I flipped out my pocket knife, letting it gleam in the sunlight, but I kept it hidden from view. From behind me, I could hear Ed having a spaz attack. Someone probably called him a shrimp. While I was distracted, I felt something cold and sharp pressed into my abdomen; I leveled my blade to hers.

"I suppose it's a stalemate." I said, lowering my blade.

"I suppose so." The lady said, lowering hers. She patted me on the head like I was a little kid.

"That was a nice little chat we had," she said in a seductive voice. Only then I really saw the lady. She was pretty. No, not pretty. Beautiful doesn't even describe her. From what I saw of what she wore- she was covered in a dingy burlap cloak- she had on a dark green sexy full-length dress (that left a little too much hanging- if you know what I mean) and elbow length gloves the same hue as her dress. I mean seriously. Who wears gloves anymore? Besides me. And Ed. And Mustang. You know? Let me rephrase that. Who wears _elbow length _gloves? Anyways, the high class whore looked just like the embodiment of lust.

Mustache cleared his throat at Ed, who was standing victoriously atop a pile of the bodies of those who called him short. Apparently, he hadn't noticed my little… encounter with the woman whom I had just deemed Lust.

"So," Mustache dragged me out of my thoughts. "Why are you traveling with the military?"

Gah. I want to keep my identity a secret. I'm a rookie in the military, and am not well known. I wish to keep it that way. That's part of the reason why Ed and I team up. He creates distractions and I'm incognito, spying on the sidelines.

"Well of course she travels with us. She's-"Ed said, until I interrupted him.  
"I'm just an old friend of theirs. I am helping them with their research." The bros gave me a funny look at that, until I glared at them.

"Hello Mr. Kent!" a new voice called. It was a girl, about my age, with long- and I mean, like, butt length- hair and pink bangs and intriguing violet eyes.

"Hello Rose." Mustache- apparently named Mr. Kent - said. "Are you done shopping for offerings?" _Offerings? What the hell is going on?_

"Yep. I'm heading to the temple now. Why do you ask?" Rose asked.

"Would you mind taking these travelers to the pilgrim's quarters? "

"Sure thing!" was the cheerful reply. Come on!" with that said, Rose walked away, carrying her bags of goodies that Ed and I would LOVE to eat.

"Come on shrimp!" I called, running after Rose. Rose and I proceeded to make small-girly talk like me and my girl friends back at home used to do. She actually reminded me of my friend Nikki back in Hargeon.

We were chilling in our room in the 'pilgrim's quarters'.

"I'm just gonna warn you guys now. Firstly, I'll be sneaking around a bit. Secondly, I will be acting like a fool in public." I said, warning them of my most useful scam. Al calls it 'concealment by sham'. When I asked him why he chose that name he simply said:" You're concealing yourself by a made up scam. Except, scam doesn't sound as cool as sham." Anyways, it works.

I noticed Ed's and Al's visible shudder. To sum it up, I act like an absolute fool; I giggle, act innocent and childish. From what the pessimist says, I am '****ing scary'.

I looked out the window I was sitting at. The window showed a depressing sight- a cemetery. Currently, Rose was standing over her late fiancé's grave. Someone was with her - Father Cornello.

"Apparently, Cornello promised to revive her dead fiancé." I say absentmindedly, feeling sorry for the girl.

Just as I was about to go into my room for the night (the stupid church thought it was 'not proper' for a girl to share a room with two boys. Yeah, that doesn't sound perverted at all.) I paused, as if an afterthought occurred.

"Hey, Ed?" I asked, hoping to snatch his attention.

"What?" The Fullmetal Alchemist asked from his post on the bed.

"For tomorrow, do me a favor."

"What is it?" he groaned. Usually my favors are kinda major, and one even resulted in him going to the hospital after being mauled by a stray dog I wanted to keep (I would've done it myself, but I was still recovering from my automail surgery).

"Just wear these." I fished in my pockets for something. I saw Ed looking at me in amusement. "Think that's funny, do you - no, don't nod your head. Try having pockets with a load of crap in them - Ah, here they are." I took out a pair of plain white gloves and tossed them to Ed.

"These are just plain old gloves."

"No, they're not. Look closer." He turned them over and found two transmutation circles sewn on the palms.

"Why?" was his only response.

"Something fishy is going on here, and I'm going to find out what it is. I'm going to do a lot of snooping tomorrow, and I need you to make as much a ruckus as possible. Just don't overdo it. Which is partly the reason I gave you these - the way these people acted, they thought alchemy was a miracle. They saw the transmutation circles, and we don't want them to think you're the freaking 'son of Leto' or other religious stuff like that." I finished my monologue, and found that Ed was looking at me strangely.

"Why're you staring at me?" I asked, creeped out.

"That… was surprisingly well-thought-out. For a cross-dresser." He said with a smirk.

"Well, thanks for that gracious compliment, Edwardito" I retorted, with a bow.

"Just go already." He grumbled, lying back down.

I went into my room.

I was in a tunnel. The end of one, judging by the looks of it. One end just disappeared into the gloom, and the other was right in front of me.

My body started moving on its own accord.

I began to dig the tunnel. I kept telling myself to stop, but actually stopped for mere seconds.

I felt a tug at my brain, my arms, and my legs. I saw shadows, slowly enveloping my body, making me move as it wants me to move.

A chillingly childish voice whispered from the gloom "Soon".

I woke up, with Al's face gazing at me with worry.

"Are you okay?" He asked. "You were having a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?" I could hear the words laced with worry, but I shrugged it off.

"It's fine." I say. "Nothing more than a bad dream." Inside, I repeated the same thing. I fell asleep, into a blissful, dreamless sleep, with only one thought in mind.

_Tomorrow is going to be a big day._

**Authors Notes:  
**

**Skie: Well, here it is people. the beginning of Liore. I am going to hopefully post the next chapter later, maybe today even. It will be in the next couple days at the most. **

**Skie: Oh, yeah. I meant to say this before: THIS STORY WILL FOLLOW BROTHERHOOD. There will be some elements from Fullmetal Alchemist 2003, like the location of Liore, but there will be Father leading the homunculi (I kept forgetting this) I would like to introduce my editor/ beta reader person thingy, Selene Ross! Say hi, or something.**

**Selene: Yo. If you want to read my other 'witty' notes, go check the other story. I'm not in the mood.  
**

**Skie:Well, that's all for now folks!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Edward Elric was sitting on my shoulders.

Weird, right?

We were on the edge of a huge-ass crowd, gathered outside the temple thing, watching Cornello perform his stupid 'miracles'.

My previous statement still stands: Weird, right?

"It has to be alchemy." Ed simply said.

"No, it is not this 'alchemy' you speak of," Rose said. Obviously, we were clearly getting on her nerves. "They are miracles! Can your alchemy do that?" she challenged, waving at Cornello, who created this crystal flower out of a small bud.

"Well, yes." I said. "You just need a special ingredient to add to the mix, and you can create anything." I stepped forward, and dropped Ed from his post on my head.

"What was that for?" he cried, very annoyed. Then, he murmured, "I was actually comfy."

"That was for calling me fat yesterday." I said. "Besides, I gotta go get some supplies; I do have something to do for Mustang before we head back to East City."

Ed looked at me inquisitively. "What do ya have to do?"

'I have to get some dirt on the asshole - I mean Founder, and possibly overthrow him.' That last part was kind of an afterthought, because Mustang wanted me to snoop, at first. When he realized that Ed and Al were coming, he added "and possibly overthrow him, too." Knowing full well that that wan inevitable.

"It's nothing, really. I just have to get something for him." I say. Technically, that was the truth- I have to get some info on Cornello. "Well, I'm off. Remember what I said last night."

Ed nodded and pulled his gloves over his hands. I caught a glimpse of a red transmutation circle.

"Don't you have some?" Al asked.

"No," I said absentmindedly.

"Well, why not?" Ed asked curiously.

"You need it, and I'm not planning on doing alchemy. Besides," I grin at this. "In case I do get in trouble, if I can't get out of it, I can always count on you two." With that said, I walked away.

I sneaked down a dark hallway in the temple of Leto. There were a few guards, but being my awesome self, I completely incapacitated them. I created a small peephole in every closed door, unless I can hear voices around me. If I do, I just giggle and twirl my short, almost non-existent hair and they leave me be.

After practically an hour of doing this, I came upon an interesting room. It was closed, so I looked inside through the peephole. All I saw was a bed with drawn curtains, a nightstand with a picture on it, and-strangely enough- feathers. Lots of them. I debated whether I should go inside, but being like those kittens Al always brings home, my curiosity got the best of me and I went in.

As I saw from the outside, the room was pretty bare.

"Ro. Se?" A robotic voice called. The voice was a deep baritone. What was it saying? Then it dawned on me as soon as I saw who was in the picture. Rose and a boy- who I really can call a man. I soon identified him as _Cain._ Rose's dead lover.

_Was Cornello really trying to resurrect him?_ The thought raced through my mind. It was possible, but highly unlikely. It would be really bad if he was trying to do that.

Fear clung to me as I threw open the curtains around the bed. Inside was a horrible creature. A bird, the same build as the dead man. If you look at it just right, you can see Cain's silhouette.

_He was trying to scam Rose! For her support he would 'revive' her dead loved one, therefore gaining a life to use. Just what does this guy mean to do?_ A look of horror ran across my face as I noticed some more of the bird's features. It was a silvery- grayish- white. It had a parrot beak. A sharp parrot beak. It had talons as big as my long fingers. That _thing _could become a weapon with the right command.

Images ran through my mind at my first solo mission as the Hydro-Alchemist. It was to infiltrate an alchemy lab by playing innocent little girl. What they made in that lab was just plain _wrong._ All types of chimeras, most of which were dead and/or dying. There was this one chimera. It was part human, part fox. I had the pleasure of watching it kill itself. From what info about it I gathered, it was suicidal in the week it existed.

This- this- this _thing_ that was created with the express purpose of fooling Rose is so wrong, so dare I say _evil_ it shouldn't even exist. _That's what the feathers are for_. I realized. _Birds' _souls _were sacrificed to make this dammed creation._

I then knew what I had to do. Humanity and morals be dammed. I had to get rid of this creature before it hurt someone. I took out my pocket knife (the poor thing has had its share of use in a matter of days), said a quick prayer (I may not go to church or believe in God, but I do believe that the Ishbalans had the best ideals, so I adopted that as my religion of sorts), and decapitated the creature.

My knife wasn't even bloody.

The creature was hardly living. It would have died sooner or later. It could have croaked right in front of Rose, and I'm pretty sure that would scare her half to death.

I heard voices coming. Cornello and Rose.

"Damn." I cursed. There wasn't enough time to create a door, and I don't think they would like it if I just strolled out of a door I shouldn't have even been in.

Desperately, I dove into the bed and shut the curtains. Even though I was insanely grossed out, I picked up the bird and held it upright.

"Here he is. I didn't want to show you him until he is complete, but I don't want your faith in me, in Leto to be compromised." The Founder said.

"Ro. Se?" I said, in the best attempt to mimic the things 'voice'-if you can even call it that. Cornello didn't even notice the difference.

"Cain!" Rose cried, obviously overjoyed. "Oh, Founder Cornello, I will never doubt you again!"

With each word she said, I tried not to cringe. Moments before, I was reprimanding Cornello- in my mind, of course- now there I was, trying to trick Rose. Even though I had benevolent intentions, it didn't appease the guilt growing in the pit of my belly.

Soon enough, they left. I transmuted a door into the room on my left. I waited like ten minutes until I emerged from my hideout.

All of a sudden, I hear a boom- a gunshot maybe? - Then yelling. _Perfect._ I smirk darkly. I already have a fair amount of dirt on this bastard, so I might as well go help the bros.

I follow the commotion into a large chamber. It was HUGE! There were two sets of two flights of stairs-does that make sense?-, and the douche himself was standing there, looking smugly at the bros-who, naturally, were surrounded.

Thinking that they so owe me, I concentrated at each of the guard's heads. I pulled water vapor out of the air; I combined two hydrogen per one oxygen. I pooled those together and created seven bubbles of water (one for each guard's head). While Cornello was monologuing, one by one, each of the guards dropped. Cornello, of course, didn't notice. I created one blocking his airway, but there was a red flash from his ring, and it burst.

I freaked out. That had never happened before. NO ONE has ever broken my move- dubbed the water-lock- alone. Ever.

"Run you idiots!" I screamed, forgoing my cover. I clapped and transmuted a door in the wall nearest to them. "Take Rose and GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" . Al scooped up Rose, who was standing in a stupor, and they ran like hell.

"Get them!" Cornello ordered his men. His face- I swear, it was the funniest thing- fell when he realized that all his so-called guards were all unconscious. "Well, say hello to my little friends." He said creepily. The parrot sitting on his shoulder flew off. The ring flashed brightly and the parrot grew in size. I heard a cage open and a lion-lizard chimera jumped out.

"Well, I'm screwed." I said to myself. Still, I fought back.

I threw my knife to the ground and clapped, pulling Ed's signature move. Two blades appeared out of my arms.

It was a dangerous dance, with me dodging and slashing at every opening. I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

I dropped to the floor, hacking away. Droplets of red appeared, larger than ever before.

I was able to throw just one last dirty look at the bastard before I felt something hard bash my head (probably the thing's tail) and passed out.

When I woke up, I was in chains. I was suspended in the air, hanging from my arms. It felt like I was burning in the fiery pits of Hell.

"Who are you?" Cornello demanded. I hadn't even noticed him, so of course, that made me jump.

"Why should I tell you?" I retorted in my usual smart-ass fashion.

"Because, I could make them do this." Cornello smiled wickedly.

I heard a sharp crack, then felt a numbing pain in my back. There were people I couldn't see behind me. "I repeat: Why should I tell you?"

Cornello glared at me. "Well, I'll have you know that the Fullmetal Alchemist is in custody. He told us everything." He paused and smiled at me. "Including why you're here."

"They never would," I say, my faith in them was too strong to break. "Probably, even if Ed was captured, unless in a special circumstance, he would say even less than me. Judging by your expression, he either hasn't been captured- which I find highly unlikely, as he is completely prone to being captured and/or cornered- or he hasn't said a word."

"Enough!" Cornello roared. He nodded to whoever was behind me. He then stormed out of my little cell.

I heard another snap, then felt a pain in my back. Again, with the snap, then the pain. This happened again and again, with each snap, the pain doubled.

After seemingly hours of this, I passed out.

When I returned to the world of the living, the room was empty. In complete and utter desperation, I hoisted myself up so my hands can meet and clapped. I dropped to the ground, free. I coughed again, a horrible throaty sound, and yet again, more blood appeared. This went on for the better part of several minutes.

I dragged myself to the corner of the room where I saw my coat was strewn. I put it on-trying to bypass the pain- and transmuted an exit.

I was back in the upper hallways sooner than I expected. Out of the blue, I saw a familiar form appear.

Rose. She'd obviously been crying, for her eyes were red and puffy, her face was all red and blotchy, and (I'll be honest here) there was snot crusted on her nose.

I walked up to her, masking my pain, and said softly "Rose?"

Knowing me to be a good guy, she ran up to me and threw her arms around me.

"Shh, shh. It's okay, Rose. It's okay. That thing wasn't Cain. He lied to you Rose. He lied to everyone in this city." I said, as though I was comforting a baby. With every word I said, her sobs grew more and more until they finally ceased.

"What do I have left to hope for?" She asked, through her tears.

"You don't need anything to live for. You just need to live for you. Live because you can. Live because you were blessed with life." I say, quoting one of the prayers of the goddess Ishbala. I knew I had caused her sadness, but, I can at least help stop it.

She gave me one last squeeze, then pulled away. I started to have another coughing fit.

Rose, for one, looked alarmed. "Are you OK?"

"'M fine." I say through the jagged coughs. Rose awkwardly patted me on the back. When she lifted her hand, it was sticky with blood.

She gasped in horror. "What happened?"

"It's nothing." I stare at her hardly. "Say anything, and I'll have to kill you." I try to lighten up the mood, but it doesn't really help. "Come on, let's find the boys."

While walking we hear the truth about the bastard. He really was only doing this for the lives he can waste. _What a sick, sick man._ I think, shaking my head in shame.

We see a streak of gold and black running down the hall, with a monstrous Cornello in pursuit. We follow them.

Rose and I were led to a shrine. One wall was consumed by a huge ass statue of the supposed god Leto. There was Cornello, laughing maniacally. He took his cane and there was a flash. It turned into a machine gun. I clapped, ignoring the pain, and a wall sprouted up , encasing the gun in stone. It also served as a barrier between us and him.

Cornello snarled.

Ed made his blades.

Al got in a fighting stance.

Rose looked terrified.

I created two water whips that moved at my every whim.

Ed, Al, and I charged. I'm pretty sure we looked hilarious. I mean, two kids, a larger girl who looks like a guy, bleeding heavily and a boy who looks like a girl (I always thought he did when you just see his back) with a FREAKING KNIFE FOR AN ARM, and a suit of armor. All of which, I might add, have intense faces… Except for Al, who was completely incapable of showing emotion.

A red light flashed. For some reason, it seemed weaker than before.

Cornello screamed in pain as his half machine gun retreated into his arm. When it was over, there were wires bursting out in random pieces out of the bastard's arm.

"Rebound!" Ed gasped.

"That's impossible!" I cry. "It's supposed to be perfect; it- it- it shouldn't create rebound… unless…"

"Got him!" Al called. While we [Ed and I] were freaking out, Al, being the ever level headed one, drew a transmutation circle and produced a cage from the god's statue.

"How fitting." I say, pleased. "Great job Al."

Al beamed.

"Well," Ed broke the aura of happiness. "Let's take the bastard's stone and get the hell outta this place."

That directed our attention back to the 'Founder'. Cornello tried to escape. The ring's light fluttered then died. The stone- an imitation of the Philosopher's stone- fell out of its ring then crumpled to dust.

"A fake!" Al cried.

"A fake." Ed and I echoed. "All this. For a freaking imitation." I could practically see Ed's soul leaving his body.

"Where did you get this, old man?" Ed snarled.

"I don't know anything, please, spare me! They said I can have anything I want, and, and..." Cornello broke into sobs.

"Who?" I said, my voice dangerously low.

"I don't know." He cried once more. I dropped to my knees, tears streaming from my eyes. I broke into a coughing fit again.

"Wha- What's wrong with her?" Al asks Rose, in a frantic fashion.

"I don't know. I just found her like that and… and…" Her voice slowly faded into mere whimpers.

"I'm okay, everyone." I say, wobbly rising to my feet. Ed and Al stare at the blood trickling from my mouth, causing me to wipe it using my already bloodied sleeve. "Now, let's make like trees and get out. I've got a report to give Mustang."

Edward and Alphonse were still apprehensive about me walking, but I wouldn't hear it. Off we walked, leaving the seeds of rebellion to fester into something bigger than we would have even imagined.

Three days later, we made our way into East City Headquarters. People we knew waved their hello's, and (like always) people who don't know us tried to force us out, until Ed and I pulled out our watches.

Finally, we walked into Mustang's office. Al and I waved hello to the subordinates, while Ed just plopped onto the couch.

"Colonel Mustang." I said, snapping into a painful, sharp salute. Thankfully, Ed and Al didn't notice my wince. Hawkeye, of course, did. "Wait, before I brief you, I got something for ya." I pull out a bottle, filled with a clear-ish liquid. "They call it 'firewhiskey'. "

"Why did you get me this?"

"You're going to need it. And the name was fitting."

Mustang shrugged. "Okay. Details on your mission?"

"Mission: complete."

Our superior nodded. "Damage extent?"

"Surprisingly minimal. Confined to one room- a shrine to the so called 'god', Leto."

Mustang sighed, holding his head in his hands. "And Cornello?" He asked, though, he already knew the answer.

"Overthrown."

"Wha-?" Ed asked. "THAT was your mission? Why didn't you tell us about it?"

He looked furious. I looked at Hawkeye for help. I heard her cock her gun in preparation.

"Because, Fullmetal, I told her not to." Mustang supplied. I gave a sigh of relief. "Now, Sabrina," He turned to me. It has to be serious, if he's using my name and not my title. "Go with Hawkeye to her apartment. She has to show you something." In other words, Mustang was telling me to go with Hawkeye and she will dress my wounds.

Twenty minutes later, we were at Hawkeye's apartment.

"Okay" I say, turning to Edward and Alphonse. "You guys can go now. I'll meet up with you two later."

They look unconvinced. I had a feeling that they knew I was hurt, but they didn't know the extent of it.

"Hell no, you crazy, gigantic, freak. You are hurt. We are staying." The pipsqueak said.

"Yeah. It's the least we can do." Al supplied. Then he did the worst possible thing: he brought out... the puppy-dog eyes. You would not think that a suit of armor can pull that off, but he can.

"Fine." I huffed in resignation. "Lieutenant, can you please get some bandages." I glared at the bros. "And you two. No peeping or I will forever peg you as a pervert, okay?" I faced the wall and braced myself. I took my coat off.

I could hear the gasps coming from everyone in the room.

"What happened to you?" Al cried, horrified.

"Cornello managed to capture me. That goddamn bastard." I say, my voice dripping with contempt and hatred. "Just wrap me up, please, Hawkeye. This is already really uncomfortable."

She nodded, and ushered the boys out of the room.

They protested. "Why do we have to go?"

"Because." I say, exasperated. "I have to take off my shirt to get wrapped up."

Ed turned fire-hydrant red at that. I'm sure that if Al had a face, he would have too. They were shoved out the door and Hawkeye proceeded to patch me up in silence.

One time, she wrapped a bandage around my chest a little too tightly, forcing me into yet _another_ fit of bloody coughs.

Hawkeye looked at me inquiringly. "I guess I rushed through rehab a bit too fast." I say, wiping the blood from my mouth.

When she was done, I braced myself, yet again, to face the explosion that is the Elric brothers.

"What the hell were you thinking, not telling us about how hurt you are!?" Ed roared. I cringed. Al, bless his soul, noticed.

"Big brother," he said. "Stop yelling. Let's just calm down and go home." Yes, home. Ed, Al and I share an apartment (I have my own room, naturally). Because we're almost always traveling, we only pay for when we stay, like the other military people live there.

We were in the alleyway-shortcut I found a few months ago when it happened. Al and I were walking side by side, when suddenly he stopped. Ed didn't notice a thing and kept on walking. Al bent down and put something in his armor.

Of course, it was a kitty.

I'll be the first to admit that while I am a dog person, kittens are freaking adorable. When Alphonse caught up to me I winked at him to let him know his secret was safe with me. Not only do I not want to spoil his fun, I always find pleasure in seeing the pipsqueak's face when he sees that Al picked up another stray.

"Excuse me!" A man called. The man was dark-skinned with white hair. He had on a yellow jacket and black pants. On his face was a huge X-shaped scar.

The man looked at Ed. "Are you the Fullmetal Alchemist?" then he looked at me. "Are you the Hydro-Alchemist?"

Ed and I looked at each other. His eyes mirrored the unease I felt. You know something is up when Ed isn't all like 'yeah I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist. I'm pretty famous. I'm pretty much the shit.' Both of us had a similar unease.

But still, I nodded mutely while Ed said "Yeah. Got a problem with that?"

The man looked pained for a second before his face became blank.

"I shall conduct judgment for God. Prepare to die."

He came at us.

**Author's notes: **

**Skie: This was a long chapter. A whole 9 pages! Woohoo! This is the longest chapter I've ever written! Anything to add, Selene?**

**Selene: Yeah. Make these shorter. The longer the chapter, the faster my attention span wanes.  
**

**Skie: Well people, ta ta for now!**


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